PhD in Medical Sciences
PhD Program Overview
On behalf of the Texas A&M College of Medicine’s PhD program in Medical Sciences we welcome you!
The College of Medicine at Texas A&M University is part of a vibrant group of 17 schools and colleges and 92 doctoral programs on a contiguous campus. Annual research expenditures at TAMU exceed $1.1 billion, making this central Texas land grant university a research powerhouse. An undergraduate enrollment of ~53,000 students provides ample opportunity for graduate students to work with and train teams of undergraduates, and to develop their skills as educators and mentors.
Former trainees are scientists at academic institutions as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, educators, entrepreneurs, engaged in advocacy and health policy and scientific writing. Trainees find professional advancement in increasingly diverse arenas that need the analytic and communication skills of trained biomedical scientists.
Our program offers two locations to our PhD trainees. The main campus is located in Bryan in the College of Medicine with a strong focus on infectious diseases, cancer, neuro-degenerative diseases and trauma, substance use and psychiatric disorders, heart and lymphatic disease, to name a few. The Medical Sciences PhD Program branch in Houston is located in the Texas Medical Center, the nation's fourth largest city and the largest medical center complex in the world. The PhD program is housed within the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, a research institute focused on translational medical research, and features a close-knit community of investigators and students, with close connections to both the TAMU main campus, neighboring institutions, and universities in the Texas Medical Center.
Research Areas
There are six areas of research across the College of Medicine departments (Bryan/College Station) and the Institute of Biosciences and Technology (Houston) that students can choose from to specialize in areas of expertise while expanding their knowledge and touching other interdisciplinary research groups. The College of Medicine is an academic unit of Texas A&M University (TAMU), and students in the Medical Sciences PhD program have access to all the resources, facilities, and courses of both the College of Medicine and the university.
The Medical Sciences PhD Program branch in Houston is located in the Texas Medical Center, the nation's fourth largest city and the largest medical center complex in the world. The PhD program is housed within the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, a research institute focused on translational medical research, and features a close-knit community of investigators and students, with close connections to both the TAMU main campus, neighboring institutions, and universities in the Texas Medical Center.
When applying for the PhD program in Medical Sciences, be sure to specify which campus you are interested in, either Bryan/College Station or Houston.
Brain, Behavior, Psychiatric and Neurologic Disorders
Research related to normal neural development and neurodevelopmental disorders, behavior, adaptation to injury and disease, psychiatric disorders.
Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Research that explores the potential of somatic stem cells to ameliorate and cure a broad range of diseases.
Cancer, Cell and Developmental Biology
Research related to the regulation of development, including processes dysregulated in cancer, such as control of cell cycle, cell survival and cell death; the role of innate and adaptive immunity in cancer and immunotherapy, molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer initiation and pathogenesis; metabolic dysregulation in cancer, lymphatics in cancer progression; and design and application of mouse models of human cancer.
Cardiovascular, Lymphatic and Metabolic Disease
Research related to the investigations of cardiac function, blood vessel circulation of organs; lymphatic vessel physiology, lymphatic control of inflammation and immune responses; underlying pathophysiology of obesity, diabetes, aging, heart disease, hypertension, lymphedema, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney and liver injury, eye conditions, and cancer.
Genetic, Genomic and Network Biology
Research using model organisms to study physiology in health and disease; quantitative, systems-based approaches to gain insight into the molecular, cellular and biochemical networks that underlie biological phenomena.
Infection, Immunity and Inflammation
Research related to infection and subsequent host response; innate and adaptive immunity; inflammatory responses; genetic evaluation of virulence that affect colonization of tissues and systems; disease pathologies related to inflammation and immune dysfunction; e.g., diabetes, neurodegenerative disease; mesenchymal stem cells differentiation for immune function and wound healing.
About Us
About Texas A&M
Texas A&M University is ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States and number one in Texas for research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation. Our graduate faculty exemplify the highest standards of teaching, research and scholarship. By joining the Texas A&M College of Medicine, you will not only be immersed in exciting research but also become part of the Aggie family, a unique and life-long experience, full of traditions and a network of leaders around the world.
About Our Research
With 170 full time faculty, 75 graduate students and more than 100 postdoctoral fellows, the College of Medicine has a combined total of 39.8 M of external funding from federal grant agencies (NIH, NSF, USDA, and DOD) and the private sector. Our scientists are continuously improving medicine in the areas of cancer, cellular and molecular biology, environmental and genetic medicine, infectious and inflammatory diseases, microbial pathogenesis, neuroscience, stem cell biology, cardiovascular and lymphatic biology and many more.
About Our Students
Our diverse student body comes from across the nation and the world to become independent scientists and develop professional and transferable skills through top research projects, professional development, and other campus resources that prepare them to become leaders in a broad range of scientific fields.
Student Resources
Have access to the student handbook, Texas A&M and College of Medicine forms, policies and procedures, as well as other sources to support student wellness and success.